Cornell Iral Haynes Jr.
(born November 2, 1974),
better known by his stage name Nelly, is an American rapper,
singer,
actor and entrepreneur. He embarked on his music career with the hip hop group
St. Lunatics
St. Lunatics was an American hip hop group formed in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1993. The group consisted of childhood friends Nelly, Ali, Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, City Spud, and Slo Down.
Career
After graduating from high school, the band members w ...
in 1993 and signed to
Universal Records
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in the year 2000, with his debut album ''
Country Grammar
''Country Grammar'' is the debut studio album by American rapper and singer Nelly. It was released on June 27, 2000, by Universal Records. The production on the album was handled by Jason "Jay E" Epperson, with additional production by C-Love, K ...
'', of which the featured
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title.
Title track may al ...
and the single "
Ride wit Me
"Ride wit Me" is a song by American rapper Nelly featuring City Spud. It was released on February 13, 2001, as the third single from Nelly's debut studio album, ''Country Grammar'' (2000). "Ride wit Me" peaked at number three on the ''Billboar ...
" were top ten hits. The album peaked at number one the
''Billboard'' 200, and became Nelly's best-selling album to date, selling over 8.4 million copies in the United States. His following album ''
Nellyville
''Nellyville'' is the second studio album by American rapper and singer Nelly. It was released on June 25, 2002, by Universal Records and Fo' Reel Entertainment. The album's production was handled by Waiel Yaghnam, the Neptunes, Jay E, Trackboyz, ...
'' produced the number-one hits "
Hot in Herre
"Hot in Herre" is a song by American rapper Nelly, released as the first single from his second studio album ''Nellyville'' (2002). It was released on May 7, 2002, by Universal Records. It was written by Nelly, Charles Brown, and the producers ...
" and "
Dilemma
A dilemma ( grc-gre, δίλημμα "double proposition") is a problem offering two possibilities, neither of which is unambiguously acceptable or preferable. The possibilities are termed the ''horns'' of the dilemma, a clichéd usage, but disti ...
" (featuring
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling girl ...
), along with the top five single "
Air Force Ones" (featuring
Murphy Lee
Torhi Harper (born December 18 1979), better known by his stage name Murphy Lee, is an American rapper, best known as a member of the hip hop group St. Lunatics. His debut album, '' Murphy's Law'', peaked at number 8 on the ''Billboard'' 200 m ...
and St. Lunatics).
With the same-day dual release of ''
Sweat
Perspiration, also known as sweating, is the production of fluids secreted by the sweat glands in the skin of mammals.
Two types of sweat glands can be found in humans: eccrine glands and apocrine glands. The eccrine sweat glands are distribut ...
'' and ''
Suit
A suit, lounge suit, or business suit is a set of clothes comprising a suit jacket and trousers of identical textiles worn with a collared dress shirt, necktie, and dress shoes. A skirt suit is similar, but with a matching skirt instead of tr ...
'' (2004) and the compilation ''
Sweatsuit Sweatsuit may refer to :
* Sweatsuit, a set of exercise clothing comprising a sweatshirt and sweatpants
Sweatpants are a casual variety of soft trousers intended for comfort or athletic purposes, although they are now worn in many differen ...
'' (2006), Nelly continued to generate many chart-topping hits. ''Sweat'' debuted at number two on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 342,000 copies in its first week. In the same week of release, ''Suit'' debuted at number one, selling around 396,000 copies in its first week on the same chart. Nelly's fifth studio album, ''
Brass Knuckles
Brass knuckles (variously referred to as knuckles, knucks, brass knucks, knucklebusters, knuckledusters, knuckle daggers, English punch, iron fist, paperweight, or a classic) are "fist-load weapons" used in hand-to-hand combat. Brass knuckles ...
'', was released in 2008 after several delays. It produced the singles "
Party People" (featuring
Fergie), "
Stepped on My J'z
"Stepped on My J'z" is a song by American rapper Nelly. The song features American singer Ciara and rapper Jermaine Dupri. It was recorded for Nelly's fifth studio album, ''Brass Knuckles''. The hip hop and crunk track was produced by Jermaine Dup ...
" (featuring
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin (born September 23, 1972) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, record executive, entrepreneur, and DJ.
Early life
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin was born on September 23, 1972, the son of Tina (Mosley) and Michael ...
and
Ciara
Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, model and entrepreneur. She released her debut studio album, '' Goodies'' in 2004, which spawned four singles: " Goodies" (featuring Petey Pa ...
) and "
Body on Me" (featuring
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (; born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles P) ...
and
Ashanti). In 2010, Nelly released the album ''
5.0
''5.0'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper Nelly. It was released through Universal Motown Records (Universal Music Group) and Derrty (Universal Music Group) on November 12, 2010. ''. The lead single, "
Just a Dream", was certified triple platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA); it also spawned the singles "
Move That Body" (featuring
T-Pain and Akon) and "
Gone" (featuring Kelly Rowland).
Nelly has
won multiple accolades throughout his career including three
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
and nine
Billboard Music Awards
The ''Billboard'' Music Awards are honors given out annually by '' Billboard'', a publication covering the music business and a music popularity chart. The ''Billboard'' Music Awards show has been held annually since 1990, with the exception of ...
. In 2005, he starred in the remake film ''
The Longest Yard,'' alongside
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1990 to 1995, before going on to star in numerous Hollywood films, those of wh ...
and
Chris Rock
Christopher Julius Rock (born February 7, 1965) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and filmmaker. Known for his work in comic film, television and stage, he has received multiple accolades, including three Grammy Awards for best come ...
. He has two clothing lines,
Vokal Vokal may refer to:
* The Vermont Organization of Koha Automated Libraries, a unified library catalog used by over fifty libraries in Vermont
* Vokal (fashion brand)
{{disambig, surname ...
and
Apple Bottoms
AppleBottoms is a fashion brand for women launched in 2003 by rap artist Nelly, Yomi Martin, Nick Loftis, and Ian Kelly. The brand was initially a denim label, but has since expanded to include other women's and girl's clothing, perfume and acce ...
. He has been referred to by
Peter Shapiro as "one of the biggest stars of the new millennium",
and as of 2014, Nelly was ranked as the fourth-best-selling rap artist in American music history, according to the RIAA, with 21 million albums sold in the United States. In December 2009, ''Billboard'' ranked Nelly the number three Top Artist of the Decade (2000s).
Life and career
1974–2000: Early life and career beginnings
Nelly was born Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. in
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...
, the only son of Cornell Haynes and Rhonda Mack. His father served in the Air Force for much of his childhood and, when he was seven, his parents divorced. As a teenager, Haynes moved with his mother from St. Louis to
University City, a
St. Louis County suburb. While in high school, Nelly formed the
St. Lunatics
St. Lunatics was an American hip hop group formed in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1993. The group consisted of childhood friends Nelly, Ali, Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, City Spud, and Slo Down.
Career
After graduating from high school, the band members w ...
with his friends Ali,
Murphy Lee
Torhi Harper (born December 18 1979), better known by his stage name Murphy Lee, is an American rapper, best known as a member of the hip hop group St. Lunatics. His debut album, '' Murphy's Law'', peaked at number 8 on the ''Billboard'' 200 m ...
, Kyjuan, Slo Down, and his half brother
City Spud
Lavell Webb (born August 31, 1975) known by his stage name City Spud, is an American rapper and record producer. He was a member of Hip hop music, hip hop group St. Lunatics. He was featured on fellow St. Lunatic member Nelly's hit single "Ride ...
. The group enjoyed moderate local popularity with their single "Gimme What Ya Got" in 1996.
Despite being popular in Missouri and the surrounding areas, the group struggled to achieve success outside of St. Louis. The rest of the group agreed to let Nelly go solo after a major record deal failed to appear.
Later in 1999, Nelly was signed to
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
by A&R Kevin Law.
Law told
HitQuarters
HitQuarters was an international music industry publication and contact database founded in 1999. It was noted for its in-depth interviews with industry figures, as well as its A&R and manager contact directory, free artist promo pages and song ...
that Nelly was largely disliked by the label when he first signed, with the feedback he received from his colleagues on the rapper's music being "extraordinarily negative".
Nelly was unusual for being a rapper from the
Midwest
The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four Census Bureau Region, census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of ...
at a time when hip-hop was dominated by the
East Coast
East Coast may refer to:
Entertainment
* East Coast hip hop, a subgenre of hip hop
* East Coast (ASAP Ferg song), "East Coast" (ASAP Ferg song), 2017
* East Coast (Saves the Day song), "East Coast" (Saves the Day song), 2004
* East Coast FM, a ra ...
,
West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to:
Geography Australia
* Western Australia
*Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia
* West Coast, Tasmania
**West Coast Range, mountain range in the region
Canada
* Britis ...
and the
South
South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
. The label used this to their advantage by branding Nelly as a star of the Midwest, hoping to inspire pride in the people of St Louis and the surrounding regions.
Despite the negative feedback he received from the label, Nelly's debut single,
Country Grammar (Hot Shit)
"Country Grammar (Hot Shit)" (also known as "Country Grammar (Hot...)") is the debut single of American rapper Nelly. The song was written by Nelly and Jason "Jay E" Epperson, who also produced the track. Released on February 29, 2000, as the lead ...
, was a success, peaking at number 7 on both the
Billboard Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
and
UK singles chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. Recognizing Nelly's potential, the label began to change their mind and allowed work to begin on his debut album. The label decided to do a solo record with Nelly first and then reunite him with the St. Lunatics the following year.
2000–2003: Breakthrough with ''Country Grammar'' and ''Nellyville''
The label released his debut album, ''
Country Grammar
''Country Grammar'' is the debut studio album by American rapper and singer Nelly. It was released on June 27, 2000, by Universal Records. The production on the album was handled by Jason "Jay E" Epperson, with additional production by C-Love, K ...
'', in 2000. The success of
its title track as a single (number 7 on the Hot 100 and No. 1 Hot Rap Tracks) led to the album debuting at number three in the
''Billboard'' 200 in the U.S. Other singles from the album included "
E.I."; "
Ride wit Me
"Ride wit Me" is a song by American rapper Nelly featuring City Spud. It was released on February 13, 2001, as the third single from Nelly's debut studio album, ''Country Grammar'' (2000). "Ride wit Me" peaked at number three on the ''Billboar ...
", featuring
City Spud
Lavell Webb (born August 31, 1975) known by his stage name City Spud, is an American rapper and record producer. He was a member of Hip hop music, hip hop group St. Lunatics. He was featured on fellow St. Lunatic member Nelly's hit single "Ride ...
; and "
Batter Up
"Batter Up" is a song by American hip hop group St. Lunatics, with member Nelly credited as a featured artist. The track was produced by Steve "Blast" Wills and first appeared on Nelly's debut solo album, ''Country Grammar'' (2000). It was lat ...
", featuring the St. Lunatics.
The album was certified 9× platinum by the RIAA on April 27, 2004. Nelly performed as a special guest in the
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for ...
halftime show.
In 2002, Nelly's second album, ''
Nellyville
''Nellyville'' is the second studio album by American rapper and singer Nelly. It was released on June 25, 2002, by Universal Records and Fo' Reel Entertainment. The album's production was handled by Waiel Yaghnam, the Neptunes, Jay E, Trackboyz, ...
'', was released, debuting at No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200 Music Albums;
its lead single "
Hot in Herre
"Hot in Herre" is a song by American rapper Nelly, released as the first single from his second studio album ''Nellyville'' (2002). It was released on May 7, 2002, by Universal Records. It was written by Nelly, Charles Brown, and the producers ...
" was a number-one hit. Other singles included "
Dilemma
A dilemma ( grc-gre, δίλημμα "double proposition") is a problem offering two possibilities, neither of which is unambiguously acceptable or preferable. The possibilities are termed the ''horns'' of the dilemma, a clichéd usage, but disti ...
", which featured
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling girl ...
and sold over 7.6 million records worldwide, "Work It" featuring
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
, "
Air Force Ones" featuring
Murphy Lee
Torhi Harper (born December 18 1979), better known by his stage name Murphy Lee, is an American rapper, best known as a member of the hip hop group St. Lunatics. His debut album, '' Murphy's Law'', peaked at number 8 on the ''Billboard'' 200 m ...
and the
St. Lunatics
St. Lunatics was an American hip hop group formed in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1993. The group consisted of childhood friends Nelly, Ali, Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, City Spud, and Slo Down.
Career
After graduating from high school, the band members w ...
, "
Pimp Juice
"Pimp Juice" is the fourth US and Canadian single by American rapper Nelly, released on March 10, 2003, from his 2002 album, ''Nellyville''. The song peaked at number 58 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It samples UGK's song Wood Wheel from their a ...
", and "#1".
This album was highly successful and was certified 6x multi-platinum on June 27, 2003. "Hot in Herre" won the
Grammy Award for Best Male Rap Solo Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Male Rap Solo Performance was an honor presented to male recording artists at the 45th Grammy Awards in 2003 and the 46th Grammy Awards in 2004 for quality rap solo performances. The Grammy Awards, an annual ceremony th ...
in 2003.
In 2003, Nelly released ''
Da Derrty Versions: The Reinvention'', which featured the hit single "
Iz U
"Iz U" is a song by the rapper Nelly, released in 2003 as a single from the album ''Da Derrty Versions: The Reinvention''. It was released in the United States but had little airplay. It also saw moderate success in the United Kingdom, peaking at ...
" from the soundtrack to
Walt Disney
Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
's
The Haunted Mansion
The Haunted Mansion is a dark ride attraction located at Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, and Tokyo Disneyland. The haunted house attraction features a ride-through tour in Omnimover vehicles called "Doom Buggies", and a walk-through show is displaye ...
. The music video of a
Tip Drill Remix became a source of controversy due to perceptions of
misogynistic
Misogyny () is hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women. It is a form of sexism that is used to keep women at a lower social status than men, thus maintaining the societal roles of patriarchy. Misogyny has been widely practiced fo ...
depictions of women. The controversy forced Nelly to cancel an appearance at a
bone marrow
Bone marrow is a semi-solid tissue found within the spongy (also known as cancellous) portions of bones. In birds and mammals, bone marrow is the primary site of new blood cell production (or haematopoiesis). It is composed of hematopoietic ce ...
drive at
Spelman College
Spelman College is a private, historically black, women's liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia. It is part of the Atlanta University Center academic consortium in Atlanta. Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, Spelman re ...
, a
historically black college
Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. Mo ...
in
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
. Similar claims of misogyny also surrounded Nelly's single "
Pimp Juice
"Pimp Juice" is the fourth US and Canadian single by American rapper Nelly, released on March 10, 2003, from his 2002 album, ''Nellyville''. The song peaked at number 58 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It samples UGK's song Wood Wheel from their a ...
". RIAA have certified the album Platinum. For the ''
Bad Boys II
''Bad Boys II'' is a 2003 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Michael Bay, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith. The sequel to the 1995 film '' Bad Boys'' and the second film in the ''Bad Boys ...
'' soundtrack album, Nelly contributed the single "
Shake Ya Tailfeather
"Shake Ya Tailfeather" is a song recorded by American rappers Nelly, P. Diddy and Murphy Lee. It was released in 2003 from the '' Bad Boys II Soundtrack''. It topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart, giving Nelly his third number one on ...
" featuring
Diddy and
Murphy Lee
Torhi Harper (born December 18 1979), better known by his stage name Murphy Lee, is an American rapper, best known as a member of the hip hop group St. Lunatics. His debut album, '' Murphy's Law'', peaked at number 8 on the ''Billboard'' 200 m ...
. Another number-one hit, "Shake Ya Tailfeather", won the 2004
Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was awarded between 1991 and 2011, alongside the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance.
The award was discontinue ...
.
2004–2008: Continued success, ''Sweat'', ''Suit'' and ''Brass Knuckles''
Nelly performed in the
Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show
The Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show took place on February 1, 2004, at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas, as part of Super Bowl XXXVIII. It featured Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, P. Diddy, Nelly, Kid Rock, and Jessica Simpson.
The halft ...
, his second time performing in a Super Bowl halftime show.
On September 14, 2004, Nelly released two albums, ''
Sweat
Perspiration, also known as sweating, is the production of fluids secreted by the sweat glands in the skin of mammals.
Two types of sweat glands can be found in humans: eccrine glands and apocrine glands. The eccrine sweat glands are distribut ...
'' and ''
Suit
A suit, lounge suit, or business suit is a set of clothes comprising a suit jacket and trousers of identical textiles worn with a collared dress shirt, necktie, and dress shoes. A skirt suit is similar, but with a matching skirt instead of tr ...
''. ''Suit'', an R&B-oriented album, debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' albums chart, and ''Sweat'', a rap-oriented album, debuted at number two. From ''Suit'', the slow
ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
"
Over and Over", an unlikely
duet
A duet is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a harmony, as the performers take turns performing a solo ...
with
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
star
Tim McGraw
Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, four for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those album ...
, became a
crossover
Crossover may refer to:
Entertainment
Albums and songs
* ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album)
* ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987
* ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album)
* ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album)
* ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
hit. On the 2004
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
television concert special ''Tim McGraw: Here and Now'', McGraw and Nelly performed the song. A feud with another St. Louis-based rapper,
Chingy
Howard Earl Bailey Jr. (born March 9, 1980), known professionally as Chingy, is an American rapper. Chingy grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and began rapping in his late teens. He toured as an opening act with Nelly in the summer of 2002 and then ...
, came up near the end of the year. ''Tsunami Aid: A Concert for Hope'', a
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
An earthquake and a tsunami, known as the Boxing Day Tsunami and, by the scientific community, the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, occurred at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7) on 26 December 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of northern Suma ...
benefit concert special produced by NBC, featured Nelly. In the winter of 2005 came ''
Sweatsuit Sweatsuit may refer to :
* Sweatsuit, a set of exercise clothing comprising a sweatshirt and sweatpants
Sweatpants are a casual variety of soft trousers intended for comfort or athletic purposes, although they are now worn in many differen ...
'', a compilation of tracks from ''Sweat'' and ''Suit'' with three new tracks. "
Grillz
"Grillz" is a song by American rapper Nelly featuring fellow American rappers Paul Wall, Ali & Gipp, and uncredited vocals from American singer Brandi Williams (of the group Blaque). The song was written by Nelly, Jermaine Dupri, Paul Wall, A ...
", produced by
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin (born September 23, 1972) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, record executive, entrepreneur, and DJ.
Early life
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin was born on September 23, 1972, the son of Tina (Mosley) and Michael ...
, was a number-one hit. To date both albums have sold over 5 million units in the United States.
''
Brass Knuckles
Brass knuckles (variously referred to as knuckles, knucks, brass knucks, knucklebusters, knuckledusters, knuckle daggers, English punch, iron fist, paperweight, or a classic) are "fist-load weapons" used in hand-to-hand combat. Brass knuckles ...
'' was released on September 16, 2008, after several delays.
Initial release dates for the album targeted October 16
and November 13.
Its original lead single was "
Wadsyaname
"Wadsyaname" is a song by American rapper Nelly, released to the iTunes Store on August 22, 2007. It was supposed to be the first official single from his fifth studio album ''Brass Knuckles'' (2008), but Nelly later confirmed that the single wil ...
", a ballad-oriented track produced by
Ron "NEFF-U" Feemstar and sampling the piano riff from "
All My Life" by
K-Ci & JoJo
K-Ci & JoJo is an American R&B duo, consisting of brothers Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey (born September 2, 1969) and Joel "JoJo" Hailey (born June 10, 1971). Natives of Monroe, North Carolina, they are also the lead singers of the chart-topping R&B g ...
.
Nelly later confirmed that "Wadsyaname" was never going to be on ''Brass Knuckles''. Nelly recorded "
Party People",
featuring
Fergie and produced by
Polow da Don
Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977, or 1978), professionally known as Polow da Don, is an American record producer and rapper.
Jones has produced a variety of singles for a multitude of artists including "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj (2014) ...
, which turned out to be his first official single off the album.
"
Stepped on My J'z
"Stepped on My J'z" is a song by American rapper Nelly. The song features American singer Ciara and rapper Jermaine Dupri. It was recorded for Nelly's fifth studio album, ''Brass Knuckles''. The hip hop and crunk track was produced by Jermaine Dup ...
" was the next single, produced by
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin (born September 23, 1972) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, record executive, entrepreneur, and DJ.
Early life
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin was born on September 23, 1972, the son of Tina (Mosley) and Michael ...
and featuring Dupri and
Ciara
Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, model and entrepreneur. She released her debut studio album, '' Goodies'' in 2004, which spawned four singles: " Goodies" (featuring Petey Pa ...
; following that was "
Body on Me", produced by
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (; born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles P) ...
and featuring Akon and
Ashanti. Nelly appeared on
Rick Ross
William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper.
Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
's third single, "
Here I Am", which also featured label mate
Avery Storm
Ralph Di Stasio (born December 5, 1976), better known by his stage name Avery Storm, is an American singer.
Di Stasio grew up in a working-class Italian-American family in New Jersey. After high school, he moved to New York City and signed to Ti ...
.
2009–2010: Collaborations and ''5.0''
![Cornell-Haynes-Jr Nelly 2010-06-05 photoby Adam-Bielawski](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Cornell-Haynes-Jr_Nelly_2010-06-05_photoby_Adam-Bielawski.jpg)
In the summer of 2009, Nelly made a public announcement in Las Vegas about the yet-to-be-titled album.
In October 2009, Nelly did an interview with SOHH.com and said that the album was going to be released sometime in 2010.
In an interview with Semtex TV, Nelly told reporters that he planned to release the album under the name ''Nelly''. In April 2010, Nelly's cousin Michael Johnson was murdered in
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
, Nelly said that he delayed releasing the album because of this. Guests featured on the album were,
T-Pain,
Chris Brown
Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...
,
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (; born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles P) ...
,
Plies,
T.I., Kelly Rowland,
Birdman,
DJ Khaled
Khaled Mohammed Khaled (born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper.
Khaled first gained recognition as a radio host in the 1990s on the radio station WEDR, 99 Ja ...
,
Avery Storm
Ralph Di Stasio (born December 5, 1976), better known by his stage name Avery Storm, is an American singer.
Di Stasio grew up in a working-class Italian-American family in New Jersey. After high school, he moved to New York City and signed to Ti ...
and
Diddy-Dirty Money. In May 2010, Nelly confirmed that the title of the album was ''
5.0
''5.0'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper Nelly. It was released through Universal Motown Records (Universal Music Group) and Derrty (Universal Music Group) on November 12, 2010. ''. The album was released on November 16, 2010.
["Nelly Revs Up for Fall Album Release"](_blank)
. Rap-Up.com. Retrieved August 9, 2010. The album's lead single "
Just a Dream" was released on August 17, 2010, through
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
along with the promotional single "Tippin' in da Club". The two songs were released to Mainstream and Rhythm/Crossover radio on August 10, 2010. "Just a Dream" made its first chart appearance debuting on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 12 and peaking at number 3 in its fourth week. The song also debuted at number 3 on the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Digital Songs
The Digital Songs or Digital Song Sales chart (previously named Hot Digital Songs) ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by '' Billboard'' magazine. Although it originally sta ...
chart, selling 888,000 downloads in its first week. "Just a Dream" is Nelly's highest-charting song since his 2005 single "Grillz" and debuted at number 7 on the ''Billboard''
Rap Songs
Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) is a chart released weekly by '' Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stat ...
. The song entered the
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record chart in Canada; a n ...
in August 2010, at number 32
It debuted in Australia (
ARIA Charts
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
) on the Singles Chart at number 3, in
New Zealand Singles Charts at number 29, and in Switzerland (
Media Control AG
The GfK Entertainment charts are the official music charts in Germany and are gathered and published by GfK Entertainment (formerly Media Control and Media Control GfK International), a subsidiary of GfK, on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustr ...
) at number 52. The second single "
Move That Body", which features
T-Pain and
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (; born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles P) ...
, was released on October 12, 2010. The song made its first chart appearance debuting on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 54 and has reached a current peak at number 29 in Australia. Nelly is featured on the second single by singer
Mohombi
Mohombi Nzasi Moupondo (born 17 October 1986) is a Congolese-Swedish musician, singer, composer and dancer. He grew up in Norsborg and Kista near Stockholm. Mohombi was RedOne's first signing to 2101 Records in joint venture with Universal Mu ...
entitled "Miss Me", produced by
RedOne
Nadir Khayat ( ar, نادر الخياط; born 9 April 1972), better known by his stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan singer, songwriter, record producer and record executive.
As a record producer and songwriter, he has worked with many high-profi ...
. On November 13, 2010, Nelly appeared on the
Pacquiao vs. Margarito
Manny Pacquiao vs. Antonio Margarito, was a super welterweight fight for the vacant WBC super welterweight championship. The bout was held on November 13, 2010, at AT&T Stadium, in Arlington, Texas, United States. The match was put together af ...
pay-per-view, at the
Cowboys Stadium
AT&T Stadium, formerly Cowboys Stadium, is a retractable-roof stadium in Arlington, Texas, United States. It serves as the home of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL), and was completed on May 27, 2009. It is also the hom ...
in
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Tarrant County. It forms part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and is a principal city of the metropolis and region. ...
. "
Gone" is the sequel to Nelly's 2002 worldwide number-one single "Dilemma", also with Rowland, and serves as third single from Nelly's album.
2011–2014: ''M.O.'' and ''The Next: Fame Is at Your Doorstep''
In June 2011,
Pitbull
Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
released a song off the deluxe version of the album ''
Planet Pit
''Planet Pit'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper Pitbull. It was released on June 17, 2011, through Polo Grounds Music, Mr. 305 Entertainment, Sony Music, and J Records. The production on the album was handled by a variety of pop an ...
'' featuring Nelly titled "My Kinda Girl".
In December 2011, Nelly released his first ever official solo
mixtape
A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...
, entitled ''O.E.MO'', which stands for "On Everything MO". The mixtape features guest appearances from
T.I.,
2 Chainz
Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (or Tity Boi), is an American rapper. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he initially gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Playaz Circle, al ...
,
Bei Maejor
Brandon Michael Green (born July 23, 1988), better known by his stage name Maejor (formerly Bei Maejor and later Maejor Ali), is an American record producer, singer, and songwriter from Detroit, Michigan. Green has written and produced songs f ...
,
St. Lunatics
St. Lunatics was an American hip hop group formed in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1993. The group consisted of childhood friends Nelly, Ali, Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, City Spud, and Slo Down.
Career
After graduating from high school, the band members w ...
and more.
In August 2012, Nelly became a coach on
The CW
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
's ''
The Next: Fame Is at Your Doorstep'' along with
Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan (; born Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García; born 1 September 1957) is a Cuban-American singer, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is a seven-time Grammy Award winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and has been ...
,
John Rich
John Rich (born January 7, 1974) is an American country music singer-songwriter. From 1992 to 1998, he was a member of the country music band Lonestar, in which he played bass guitar and alternated with Richie McDonald as lead vocalist. After d ...
and
Joe Jonas
Joseph Adam Jonas (born August 15, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He rose to fame as a member of the pop rock band the Jonas Brothers, alongside his brothers Kevin Jonas, Kevin and Nick Jonas, Nick. The group released their ...
. Nelly released his second mixtape, entitled ''Scorpio Season'', on November 2, 2012.
In February 2013, Nelly released "
Hey Porsche
"Hey Porsche" is a song by American rapper Nelly, released as the lead single from his seventh studio album '' M.O.'' (2013). ", the lead single from his seventh studio album ''M.O.'' The song peaked at number 42 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and hit the top ten in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. In April 2013, a remix of "
Cruise
A cruise is any travel on a cruise ship.
Cruise or Cruises may also refer to:
Tourism
* Booze cruise
* Music cruise
* River cruise
Aeronautics and aircraft
* Cruise (aeronautics), a distinct stage of an aircraft's flight
* Aviasouz Cruise, a R ...
", the breakthrough single of
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
duo
Florida Georgia Line
Florida Georgia Line is an American country music duo founded in 2010 by Tyler Hubbard of Georgia and Brian Kelley of Florida, both of whom are vocalists and songwriters. Their 2012 debut single " Cruise" broke two major sales records: it was ...
, featuring Nelly, was released. Nelly's next single "
Get Like Me" featuring
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accent ...
and
Pharrell
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973) is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom he ...
was released on iTunes on July 2, 2013.
The album ''
M.O.'' was released on September 30, 2013, by Republic Records.
2014–present: Television series and ''Heartland''
From 2014 to 2015, Nelly starred in the
reality TV
Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...
show ''
Nellyville
''Nellyville'' is the second studio album by American rapper and singer Nelly. It was released on June 25, 2002, by Universal Records and Fo' Reel Entertainment. The album's production was handled by Waiel Yaghnam, the Neptunes, Jay E, Trackboyz, ...
'', which ran for two seasons. The series aired on
BET
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...
and is about Nelly's music and acting career and raising his four children.
On August 6, 2015, Nelly premiered the single "
The Fix", which was released on his own label, "RECORDS". In an interview with
Big Boy, Nelly stated that there may or may not be a new album following his new music.
As of 2018, Nelly is signed to
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
.
In 2020, he released the song "
Lil Bit
"Lil Bit" is a song recorded by American hip hop artist Nelly with country duo Florida Georgia Line. It marks the third collaboration between the artists after the remix of the duo's hit single " Cruise" in 2013, and the song "Walk Away" from ...
", a collaboration with
Florida Georgia Line
Florida Georgia Line is an American country music duo founded in 2010 by Tyler Hubbard of Georgia and Brian Kelley of Florida, both of whom are vocalists and songwriters. Their 2012 debut single " Cruise" broke two major sales records: it was ...
from his "
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...
-influenced" album titled ''
Heartland
Heartland or Heartlands may refer to:
Businesses and organisations
* Heartland Bank, a New Zealand-based financial institution
* Heartland Inn, a chain of hotels based in Iowa, United States
* Heartland Alliance, an anti-poverty organization i ...
''. He also joined country singers
Kane Brown
Kane Allen Brown (born October 21, 1993) is an American singer. Brown first came to the attention of the public through social media. He released his first EP, titled '' Closer'', in June 2015, and followed it with a new single, " Used to Love ...
and
Brett Kissel
Brett Kissel (born May 27, 1990) is a Canadian country singer. He has had four number-one hits on the Canadian country chart with " Airwaves", " Drink About Me", "A Few Good Stories", and " Make a Life, Not a Living".
Early life
Kissel was born ...
for remixes of their songs, "
Cool Again
"Cool Again" is a song by American country music singer Kane Brown. It was released on April 22, 2020, through RCA Records Nashville as the lead single from his third EP ''Mixtape, Vol. 1 (Kane Brown EP), Mixtape, Vol. 1''.
Content
Brown wrote ...
" and "
She Drives Me Crazy
"She Drives Me Crazy" is a song by English group Fine Young Cannibals, released in 1988 as the first single from their second and final album, '' The Raw & the Cooked'' (1989). Peaking at No. 5 on the British singles chart in January 1989, it ...
".
Film and television career
Nelly's film debut came in 2001 in the independent film ''Snipes'' playing a famous rapper named Prolifik. He starred in the 2005 remake of ''
The Longest Yard'' with
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1990 to 1995, before going on to star in numerous Hollywood films, those of wh ...
and
Chris Rock
Christopher Julius Rock (born February 7, 1965) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and filmmaker. Known for his work in comic film, television and stage, he has received multiple accolades, including three Grammy Awards for best come ...
.
The movie's soundtrack includes his songs "
Errtime
"Errtime" (stands for ''Everytime'') is a Single (music), single by the rapper Nelly released in March 2005, from the soundtrack to the 2005 film, ''The Longest Yard (2005 film), The Longest Yard'' (which featured Nelly alongside Chris Rock and Ada ...
" and "Fly Away". In June 2008, in an interview with ''Kiwibox'', Nelly revealed that he is reluctant to continue his acting career, noting that he does not want to "take away from the culture of acting." In 2008 and 2009, Nelly appeared in episodes of the
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
crime drama ''
CSI: NY
''CSI: NY'' (''Crime Scene Investigation: New York'', stylized as ''CSI: NY/Crime Scene Investigation'') is an American police procedural television series that ran on CBS from September 22, 2004, to February 22, 2013, for a total of nine seaso ...
''. In 2011, he made a cameo appearance on ''
90210''. From 2014 to 2015, he appeared in his own reality TV show, ''
Nellyville
''Nellyville'' is the second studio album by American rapper and singer Nelly. It was released on June 25, 2002, by Universal Records and Fo' Reel Entertainment. The album's production was handled by Waiel Yaghnam, the Neptunes, Jay E, Trackboyz, ...
'', based on the title of his second studio album, which is about his career and raising his four kids. The show ran for two seasons. From 2013 to 2016, Nelly was in the main cast of the
mockumentary
A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary.
These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...
series ''
Real Husbands of Hollywood
''Real Husbands of Hollywood'' (abbreviated ''RHOH'') is an American reality television parody that originally aired on BET from January 15, 2013 to December 13, 2016. A revival series produced for streaming service BET+ premiered on February 1 ...
''.
On September 2, 2020, Nelly was announced as one of the celebrities competing on the
29th season of ''
Dancing with the Stars
''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the forma ...
''. He and partner
Daniella Karagach
Daniella Karagach Pashkova (née Karagach) is an American dancer. Karagach and dance partner Leonid Juashkovsky are three-time United States junior I and II Latin champions. They were the 2007 junior II 10 dance champions. Abroad, they reached ...
would end up finishing in third place.
Artistry
Nelly's rapping style has been described by
Peter Shapiro as using "unforgettable
hooks based on schoolyard songs, double-dutch chants, and nonsense rhymes"
and has a "
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
twang".
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
suggests Nelly's style is based largely on where he comes from: "Nelly's locale certainly informs his rapping style, which is as much country as urban, and his dialect as well, which is as much Southern drawl as Midwestern twang".
Nelly explains his method of writing in the book ''
How to Rap
''How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC'' is a book on hip hop music and rapping by Paul Edwards. It is compiled from interviews with 104 notable rappers who provide insights into how they write and perform their lyrics.Edwards, Paul, ...
'', describing how he
freestyles most of the lyrics before going back over them to "make it a little tighter", he generally writes in the studio rather than at home, he normally comes up with a chorus for a song before writing the verses, and he likes to write to the music he will be rapping over. AllMusic also notes his "tongue-twisting" hooks, which are also often sung rather than rapped.
Other ventures
Nike
Nike often refers to:
* Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory
* Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment
Nike may also refer to:
People
* Nike (name), a surname and feminine given ...
and Nelly agreed on a one-year deal in 2003 to release a limited-edition sneaker called the "Air Derrty", which was a retro remake of
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player who is a television analyst on TNT. Nicknamed "Sir Charles", "Chuck", and "the Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley played 16 seasons in the Natio ...
's signature sneaker. Nelly later signed a shoe deal with
Reebok
Reebok International Limited () is an American fitness footwear and clothing manufacturer that is a part of Authentic Brands Group. It was established in England in 1958 as a companion company to J.W. Foster and Sons, a sporting goods company ...
. Nelly has done ads for
Got Milk?
Got Milk? (stylized as got milk?) is an American advertising campaign encouraging the consumption of milk and dairy products. Created by the advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners for the California Milk Processor Board in 1993, it w ...
and the
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...
. His energy drink
Pimp Juice
"Pimp Juice" is the fourth US and Canadian single by American rapper Nelly, released on March 10, 2003, from his 2002 album, ''Nellyville''. The song peaked at number 58 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It samples UGK's song Wood Wheel from their a ...
sold one million cans during the first two months after its introduction in August 2003, and was criticized for its name by black consumer activists.
Nelly owns
Apple Bottoms
AppleBottoms is a fashion brand for women launched in 2003 by rap artist Nelly, Yomi Martin, Nick Loftis, and Ian Kelly. The brand was initially a denim label, but has since expanded to include other women's and girl's clothing, perfume and acce ...
, a female clothing line, and
Vokal Vokal may refer to:
* The Vermont Organization of Koha Automated Libraries, a unified library catalog used by over fifty libraries in Vermont
* Vokal (fashion brand)
{{disambig, surname ...
, which caters to men. He was one of the owners of the
Charlotte Bobcats
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populous ...
, along with
Robert L. Johnson and
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...
until Jordan became the new owner in March 2010.
Nelly has played the Main Event at the
2007 World Series of Poker
The 2007 World Series of Poker (WSOP) began on June 1st, 2007. The $10,000 ( US) no-limit Texas hold 'em Main Event began on July 6th and was completed on the morning of July 18th. All events were held at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in L ...
. He has also played The PokerStars European Poker Tour and PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. In August 2010, Nelly started a temporary stint as the afternoon host on
WHHL
WHHL (104.1 FM "HOT 104-1") is an urban contemporary radio station serving the Greater St. Louis area. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. WHHL broadcasts with an ERP of 50 kW and is licensed to Hazelwood, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis ...
HOT 104.1 in
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
. He is taking the place of regular PM drive personality, Stacy Static, who is on pregnancy leave.
In September 2010, Nelly released a fitness DVD entitled ''Celebrity Sweat'', walking viewers through various exercises and weight training techniques.
In 2011, he and
Vatterott College
Vatterott College was a for-profit career training institute with programs at 16 campuses across the Midwest of the United States and online. It was operated by Vatterott Educational Centers, Inc., owned by the private equity firm TA Associates. ...
worked together to found the Ex'treme Institute By Nelly, which is a music production school in the heart of
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
.
In 2015, Nelly teamed up with
Mike and Ike
Mike and Ike is a brand of fruit-flavored candies that were first introduced in 1940 by the company Just Born, Inc. The origin of the candy's name remains unknown, but there are many conjectures. Mike and Ikes were originally all fruit flavore ...
candy after a halt in collaborating a year earlier. He and the owners of Mike and Ike released a movie trailer the same day titled "The Return of Mike and Ike" describing the split and reunion.
Philanthropy
Nelly runs the non-profit organization 4Sho4Kids Foundation. The Jes Us 4 Jackie campaign began in March 2003 by Nelly and his sister Jackie Donahue after Donahue was diagnosed with
leukemia
Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ' ...
. The campaign attempts to educate African Americans and other minorities about the need for
bone marrow transplants, and to register more donors. Donahue died of leukemia on March 24, 2005, almost two years after the campaign began.
In 2006, Nelly started hosting a “White and Black Ball” in his hometown of St. Louis as a fundraiser to collect funds for scholarships. He has sent two students to college every year for over a decade, and set up a scholarship fund named after
Michael Brown was shot and killed.
In 2010, Nelly endorsed
Do Something
DoSomething (also DoSomething.org) is a global nonprofit organization with the goal of motivating young people to make positive change both online and offline through campaigns. The organization's CEO is DeNora Getachew.
History
The organizatio ...
's Tackle Hunger campaign. In a public service announcement he filmed for the cause, Nelly challenged teens to fight hunger by collecting one million pounds of food for the holiday season.
Legal issues
Misdemeanor drug-offense conviction (2015)
In April 2015, the
Tennessee Highway Patrol
The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) is the State Patrol organization for the U.S. state of Tennessee, responsible for enforcing all federal and state laws relating to traffic on the state's federal and state highways. The agency was created to pro ...
conducted a
traffic stop
A traffic stop, commonly referred to as being pulled over, is a temporary detention of a driver of a vehicle by police to investigate a possible crime or minor violation of law.
United States
A traffic stop is usually considered to be a T ...
of Nelly's
Prevost
Prevost, Prévost or Prévôt may refer to:
Places
* Prévost (electoral district), Quebec, a provincial electoral district
* Prévost, Quebec, a community in the Laurentians region of Quebec, Canada
** Prévost station
* Prevost, a community o ...
tour bus because of non-conforming
U.S. Department of Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT or DOT) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It is headed by the secretary of transportation, who reports directly to the President of the United States and ...
and International Fuel Tax Association stickers. Nelly was one of six people on board. After a state trooper said that he smelled marijuana, the troopers searched the bus and said that they found drug paraphernalia and marijuana, as well as a substance that they initially believed to be methamphetamine and several handguns.
[Kevin C. Johnson]
Nelly, attorney issue statements on rapper's misdemeanor guilty plea
''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'' (December 15, 2015). Nelly was initially booked into the
Putnam County Jail and was released on bail.
Nelly was initially charged with felony drug possession, simple possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
However, after further testing proved that the seized substance was not methamphetamine, the felony charge was dropped.
In December 2015, the case was resolved when Nelly pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of marijuana and misdemeanor possession of
drug paraphernalia
"Drug paraphernalia" is a term to denote any equipment, product or accessory that is intended or modified for making, using or concealing drugs, typically for recreational purposes. Drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamin ...
and was sentenced to one year of probation.
Nelly entered a
diversion program
A diversion program, also known as a pretrial diversion program or pretrial intervention program, in the criminal justice system is a form of pretrial sentencing that helps remedy behavior leading to the arrest. Administered by the judicial or ...
,
in which the misdemeanor convictions were cleared from his record after 11 months.
Tax lien (2016)
In 2016, it was reported that there was a $2.4 million
tax lien
A tax lien is a lien which is imposed upon a property by law in order to secure the payment of taxes. A tax lien may be imposed for the purpose of collecting delinquent taxes which are owed on real property or personal property, or it may be im ...
against Nelly due to unpaid taxes owed to the IRS.
Rape arrest (2017)
On October 7, 2017, Nelly was arrested in
Auburn, Washington
Auburn is a city in King County, Washington, United States (with a small portion crossing into neighboring Pierce County). The population was 87,256 at the 2020 Census. Auburn is a suburb in the Seattle metropolitan area, and is currently rank ...
, outside
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, on suspicion of second-degree
rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ag ...
after a woman alleged that he invited her onto his tour bus earlier that morning and raped her.
[Daniel Kreps]
Nelly Arrested on Rape Charge Following Seattle-Area Concert
''Rolling Stone'' (October 7, 2017).[Jayme Deerwester]
Nelly released without charges after rape arrest; rapper will miss Saturday concert
''USA Today'' (October 8, 2017). Nelly was booked into a
Des Moines, Washington
Des Moines ( ) is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 32,888 as of the 2020 census. The city is located on the east shore of Puget Sound, near the center of the Seattle metropolitan area. It is bordered by the ...
, jail,
and released from custody without charge.
Nelly denied wrongdoing; his attorney said that the accusation was "clearly false".
On December 14, it was revealed Nelly would not be charged in the case because the alleged victim declined to cooperate. By the end of January 2018, Nelly was again accused of sexual assault after a gig at the
Cliffs Pavilion
Cliffs Pavilion is a theatre and concert venue on Station Road in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England, a town within the city of Southend-on-Sea. It seats 1,630 and offers an assortment of variety acts.
Building
Work began on the original Cliff ...
at the end of 2017. Police said they were making an attempt to get in touch with the woman claiming she was sexually assaulted by the rapper.
"Rapper Nelly accused of sexual assault after Essex gig"
''ITV'',28 Jan 2018
Discography
Studio albums
* ''Country Grammar
''Country Grammar'' is the debut studio album by American rapper and singer Nelly. It was released on June 27, 2000, by Universal Records. The production on the album was handled by Jason "Jay E" Epperson, with additional production by C-Love, K ...
'' (2000)
* ''Nellyville
''Nellyville'' is the second studio album by American rapper and singer Nelly. It was released on June 25, 2002, by Universal Records and Fo' Reel Entertainment. The album's production was handled by Waiel Yaghnam, the Neptunes, Jay E, Trackboyz, ...
'' (2002)
* ''Sweat
Perspiration, also known as sweating, is the production of fluids secreted by the sweat glands in the skin of mammals.
Two types of sweat glands can be found in humans: eccrine glands and apocrine glands. The eccrine sweat glands are distribut ...
'' (2004)
* ''Suit
A suit, lounge suit, or business suit is a set of clothes comprising a suit jacket and trousers of identical textiles worn with a collared dress shirt, necktie, and dress shoes. A skirt suit is similar, but with a matching skirt instead of tr ...
'' (2004)
* ''Brass Knuckles
Brass knuckles (variously referred to as knuckles, knucks, brass knucks, knucklebusters, knuckledusters, knuckle daggers, English punch, iron fist, paperweight, or a classic) are "fist-load weapons" used in hand-to-hand combat. Brass knuckles ...
'' (2008)
* ''5.0
''5.0'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper Nelly. It was released through Universal Motown Records (Universal Music Group) and Derrty (Universal Music Group) on November 12, 2010. '' (2010)
* '' M.O.'' (2013)
* ''Heartland
Heartland or Heartlands may refer to:
Businesses and organisations
* Heartland Bank, a New Zealand-based financial institution
* Heartland Inn, a chain of hotels based in Iowa, United States
* Heartland Alliance, an anti-poverty organization i ...
'' (2021)
Filmography
References
External links
*
*
*
{{Authority control
1974 births
Living people
21st-century American rappers
21st-century American male actors
African-American investors
African-American male actors
African-American male rappers
African-American record producers
African-American sports executives and administrators
American businesspeople in retailing
American drink industry businesspeople
American fashion businesspeople
American hip hop record producers
American hip hop singers
American rhythm and blues singers
American investors
American male film actors
American male television actors
American nonprofit businesspeople
American philanthropists
American sports executives and administrators
Businesspeople from Missouri
Businesspeople from Texas
Charlotte Bobcats owners
Culture of St. Louis
Grammy Award winners for rap music
Male actors from Missouri
Male actors from Texas
Midwest hip hop musicians
Musicians from Austin, Texas
People from St. Louis County, Missouri
Pop rappers
Rappers from Austin
Rappers from St. Louis
Rappers from Texas
Record producers from Missouri
Record producers from Texas
Singers from Texas
Singers from Missouri
Republic Records artists
Shoe designers
St. Lunatics members
Universal Records artists
Universal Motown Records artists
World Music Awards winners
20th-century African-American male singers
21st-century African-American male singers